Read more about the new Cyprus Golf Course here: www.eleagolfcyprus.com

The best of these and indeed, voted one of the top ten wreck dives in the world, is the Zenobia, a Swedish ro-ro cargo ferry which sank off the coast of Cyprus, on her maiden voyage. She is approx 10,000 tonnes and well over 170m long but unfortunately developed a problem with the computerized ballast system while on her way to her destination in Syria. The captain steered her toward Larnaca when he realised she was listing badly and it was here that she sunk with over 100 trucks and trailers on board. It is generally thought that it needs at least two dives to explore this large wreck to fully appreciate it and probably shouldn’t be attempted as a novice.

There are plenty of other dives around the coast of Cyprus suitable for all levels of experience and some of the more interesting ones can be found around Paphos, around The Akamas or off the East coast near Ayia Napa where simple wrecks and caves can be explored. Although interesting artifacts can be found on the seabed, please be aware that it is strictly forbidden to remove any. The beautiful and rugged Sea Caves and St Georges areas of Paphos host some exciting dives sites along with Yeronissos Island which lies just of this coastline.

There are many differnet Dive Centres accros Cyprus, with shops in Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, Agia Napa and a few others. One local company, Cydive was established in Paphos around 30 years ago and was the first scuba diving centre in Cyprus to achieve PADI IDC five star accreditation. It also has a second diving centre in Coral Bay and is the longest established dive school on the island. With a whole host of courses run by fully qualified PADI instructors, from beginners and children’s courses, to accredited courses to further your diving career, Cydive has something suitable for all the family if they wish to join in and if not, non-divers are most welcome on dive trips (space permitting).

What a great activity and experience to enjoy whilst on holiday, with one-off introductory dives to PADI ‘Open Water’ courses.

Regardless of what else you decide to do during your visit – or where you stay – finding good value accommodation and arranging car hire is straightforward. The helpful people at Hestia Holidays provide the ideal ‘one stop’ solution for those who simply want to make the most of their time in Cyprus – leaving you free to explore and enjoy what the island has to offer. They can advise on car hire, currency exchange – and offer a wide choice of rental villas and apartments to ensure that you can easily get to the golf courses of your choice – as well as reach the beach and other attractions that lie in wait of your discovery.

Whether you are a keen amateur golfer, an aspiring ‘pro’ – or simply someone who wants to find out what all the fuss is about – one course that is a ‘must’ on your itinerary is the ‘gem’ to be found at the Tasada Golf Club.

The course was founded in 1994 on the hills of Tsada and set on the grounds of a 12th century monastery in a verdant valley. It was originally created by Donald Steel and renovated by Mackenzie & Ebert in 2006/07.

Located in western Cyprus, the Tsada Golf Club is near Tsada village – 15 km northeast of the city of Paphos or roughly 20 minutes drive. The altitude of 550 meters above sea level ensures cool breezes during the summer months.

The course credentials are truly impressive:

• 18 hole par 72 course of 6,060 meters
• Handicap requirements: 28 for men and 36 for ladies.
• A handicap certificate is essential except in the low, winter season
• There is a 12 bay driving range, putting green, a pitching and chipping area and a PGA pro available for lessons
• Course map on the website

For current information, visit the club website: www.cyprusgolf.com/tsada. This provides full information on Rates, Location / Directions for getting there plus a comprehensive Course Map.

For the golfing enthusiast, the superb setting and the pleasant altitude provides more than cool breezes in the summer months as you play a round. It is a real breath of fresh air and an uplifting experience to treasure before returning home – in the expectation of some day returning for more of the same!

Contact Tel: 00357 26 642774/5

More people are becoming increasingly aware that a trip to the sun-drenched island of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean provides an excellent opportunity – if not excuse – to pursue their passion! The difference between playing in the UK and Cyprus is something that only the individual player can determine – and may well lie in the eye if not the ‘swing’ of the beholder.

Location is certainly one of the distinctions that Cyprus has to offer when it comes to the setting of its golf courses. There are several golf course ‘gems’ set in the landscape of Cyprus – with promises of more to come – but for the discerning golfer The Secret Valley Golf Course is perhaps one of the more prestigious courses.

Located by the renowned area of ‘Petra tou Romiou’, the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, it is set in a scenic valley surrounded by mature trees and beautiful natural rock formations. It is consistently chosen as the preferred course amongst the island’s visiting players in terms of sheer playability and enjoyment. It can be found 18 km east of Paphos and 49 km west of Limassol, near to the Aphrodite’s Rock. Directions are clearly signposted from the exits on the Paphos-Limassol or Limassol-Paphos highways. From the Highway exit it is a few minutes drive of about 3 km into the valley – look out for signs showing the nearest village of Kouklia.

The course has a great deal to offer the amateur or ‘pro’ golfer alike:
• 18 hole course, par 71, measuring 5,904 metres
• Handicap requirements are 28 for men and 36 for women
• Handicap certificate is essential except during the low season
• Carts, trolleys and clubs are available to rent
• There is a 12 bay covered driving range and ball machine
• 2 putting greens
• Golf pro available for lessons
• There is a well stocked Pro Shop which sells a comprehensive range of equipment and golfing accessories such as bags, clubs, gloves, balls, golf shoes, protective sun creams, caps and visors.

For up-to-date information on what Secret Valley Golf Club has to offer, visit their website at: www.cyprusgolf.com/secret_valley

There’s no doubt that the experience of playing a round or more at Secret Valley will be the highlight of a visit to Cyprus – and perhaps prompt the pursuit of the many other indulgences the island has to offer. You can enjoy the challenge of relaxing in the sun on one of the Blue Flag Beaches, visit the Nicosia Racecourse, the Troodos mountains or go on a tour of the Keo Brewery in Limassol!

In much the same way that no two golf courses are the same – or two rounds on the same course ever identical – Cyprus is an eclectic mixture of the past, present and what remains to be discovered by the enquiring human spirit.

Hestia Holidays have available a superb villa for renting on the Secret Valley Resort, please click on the word ‘Secret VAlley’ within this article for details.

Although Cyprus may not be a place that immediately springs to mind when thinking of golfing destinations in the Mediterranean, a little enquiry shows that there is an impressive choice to be had for the enthusiast prepared to break away from the more traditional tourist trails of Paphos, Agia Napa or the Troodos Mountains. Not that these places don’t have a lot to offer – far from it. There is a wealth of history, leisure and exploration to excite the curious spirit. But for golfers, knowing that their passion can be pursued in the glorious sunshine and tranquillity of an idyllic Cyprus setting is a prize worth seeking out.

The Paphos area in the west of the country plays host to three well known golf courses – at Aphrodite Hills, Tsada and Secret Valley Golf Course. There are plans for others courses on the island, including Tersefano which is close to Larnaca International Airport, between Paralimni and Agia Napa and more in the Limassol region. For those who are looking for something ‘midway’ and closer to Limassol, they don’t have to wait – there is already a club that provides a friendly welcome for the golfing enthusiast and their family.

Vikla Golf and Country Club is the only golf course in the Limassol area. It was founded in 1992 by Robin Houry near the village of Vikla and is only 20kms drive from the main Limassol tourist / residential area – pick up can be arranged. With its spectacular mountain views, its welcoming and informal atmosphere makes it an ideal place to play golf or simply relax! The club boasts an 18 whole golf course with a par of 68 from the championship tees.

This is a great course for experienced golfers and beginners alike. No handicap certificate is required and tee-off times can be booked. The two par fives and six par threes offer a realistic challenge. Gross par is only ever broken once or twice a year, if that!

If value for money is important to you, give the club a call and check out their current rates for playing and hiring equipment – they claim to be about 75% cheaper than other courses on the island. The club is committed to making the golfing experience as enjoyable as possible. For some, the most convenient – and best time to play in the hot Cyprus climate – may be towards the end of the day. So, whilst other courses close promptly at 5:30pm, Vikla remains open until the sun sets.
The facilities at Vikla are designed to be ‘family friendly’ – providing the true golfing enthusiast with some good reasons to visit the course whilst catering for non-golfers in the family with drinks and bar snacks at the Club House or dipping into the swimming pool with its outside terrace overlooking the course during summer months. Clubs and trolleys are available for hire from the PROSHOP, where there is also an excellent selection of golfing equipment for sale.
The accent is very much on friendly informality – so there is no course dress code and the practice ground helps you on the way to perfecting your game!

For further information, check out the Vikla Golf Club website:
www.vikla-golf.com – or send an e-mail to: viklagolf@cytanet.com.cy
Telephone: 00357 99674218

The government of Cyprus is standing by its long-term commitment to make major improvements to the infrastructure of Cyprus. Golf courses have taken pride of place in the overall strategy to turn Aphrodite’s isle from one of the most popular Mediterranean destinations for European holidaymakers into a vacation paradise for visitors from around the globe. Golf is still a relatively new sport here. However, a small number of excellent courses are operating and more are planned, both to meet growing on-island demand and the requirements of quality tourism.

Anyone asking about Cyprus golf courses will most likely be pointed towards one of the four venues currently in existence. Plans for more courses are already underway – a reflection of not just the growing popularity of golf as sport but Cyprus as a growing destination of choice on the international playing circuit.

Existing Cyprus golf courses such as the Secret Valley Golf and Country Club, Tsada and Aphrodite Hills in the Paphos region have already stimulated a great deal of attention amongst foreign property buyers who have recognised the convenience and investment potential of owning apartments and villas within easy striking distance of the courses – and Paphos International Airport is only a short drive away.

Whilst homes in the vicinity of these two courses are certainly in high demand, the majority of golf aficionados looking for a golf property in Cyprus are casting their eyes firmly towards the forthcoming venues across the island. One of the new courses, which will finally take golf in Cyprus beyond the Paphos region, is the Larnaca Golf and Country Club at the village of Tersefanou. Planned and backed by the PGA, this stunning championship standard course is set to become the jewel in the crown of the many infrastructure improvements being made in the Larnaca region, including the major expansion of Larnaca International Airport. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the course will boast a five-star hotel and spa facilities with luxury villas and apartments on and around the course.

New developments are an increasingly common feature of the landscape around Tersefanou and the vicinity of the planned golf course. This has affected other villages in the locality such as Kiti, Mazatos and Pervolia, which are all seeing an increase in the building of villas and apartments to accommodate the expected influx of golfers and holiday makers to this part of Cyprus.

Apart from glorious sunshine for most of the year, a key advantage of Cyprus as a golfing destination are the excellent air links it enjoys with the rest of the European Union – and the Middle East – and international connections to the rest of the world. This makes a golfing holiday at any time of the year more than a flight of fancy. Both Paphos and Larnaca International Airports are just over four hours away from London and various regional airports in the UK.
Given the sport’s worldwide popularity and continuing growth, there is absolutely no doubt that it will continue to develop and thrive in Cyprus to the benefit not only of golfers but of the Cyprus economy as a whole. This is reflected by the formal establishment in 2000 of the Cyprus Golf Federation (website www.cgf.org.cy ).

The CGF is the official governing body for golf in Cyprus and is registered with the Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) and the Cyprus Olympic Committee (KOE). The CGF has a mission to play its part in this process and provides current information about golf in Cyprus. The organisation is a member of the International Golf Federation (IGF), the European Golf Association (EGA) and is associated with the R & A.

In association with established Mediterranean golfing destinations such as Spain and Portugal, the CGF has joined 31 other countries in promoting the sport in Europe. It has been active in organising local golf tournaments and matches with British golf societies – and the PGA has been to Cyprus to inspect the golf courses.
The Cyprus government has taken positive measures to support the promotion of golf as an economic driver of the economy in various parts of the country.

In addition to the Strategy for Golf Course Development, the Tourism Strategy Plan to 2010 views golf courses as a means of generating increased tourism income – and taking into account factors such as the use of land, water and environmental concerns the Strategy suggests that, including existing courses, Cyprus will see the development of four to five international standard 18-hole courses in the Paphos district – and one each in Limassol, Larnaca, Nicosia and the free area of Famagusta. So, within a few years there should be a total of nine golf courses on the island
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) promotes the country in all major travel markets and golf fairs (Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and Britain) and organises familiarisation visits for golf journalists and tour operators.

If the experience of players ‘teeing off’ at the existing courses in Cyprus is anything to go by, the island will soon be an even more familiar destination for those on golfing holidays. Of course, the added bonus for people choosing to buy their own villa or apartment – and either live here permanently or on extended stays – is that they can indulge their passion for golf and bask in the Mediterranean sun with the sure knowledge that they are spoilt for choice about which world class course to visit whenever they want to at any time of the year!

Boasting 18 holes, Par 71, 7289 metres, this golf course is carved out of groves of carob and olive trees on two high plateaux divided by a ravine, the course overlooks the Mediterranean with all but a few holes enjoying superb sea views. Designed by world-renowned Cabell Robinson, the course harmonises beautifully with the natural landscape and environment of the surrounding area. Fairways are generously wide off the tee with large ‘sculpted’ bunkers and contoured or sloped greens.
The spectacular par three 7th hole is destined to be much talked about! It plays steeply downhill with a 30m drop across the canyon, requiring careful club selection, to a large undulating green nestling within a grove of olive trees. A long winding cart path takes one down to the green and then up out of the canyon for added thrills!
The clubhouse incorporates a bar and restaurant, with extensive terraces offering spectacular views, locker rooms with bag storage and valet service, and a well-stocked golf shop. It also caters for private parties & dinners, corporate events & wedding celebrations.
Also on offer is a three-hole academy, 350m double-ended driving range and short game practice facilities, 4 target greens with bunkers, 3 academy holes. Two resident professional golf instructors offering lessons and group clinics available 7 days a week upon advanced requests.
Shoe and club hire is available – and golf buggies are essential to negotiate the extensive course.

The real beauty of Cyprus is that there is so much more to experience – and the voyage of discovery involves little more than putting one foot in front of the other, opening your eyes and soaking up what nature has to offer. Although Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, nowhere is really that far from anywhere else – and exploring the heartland with its variety of landscape is a true gift of nature.

An ideal way to get a feel for the countryside of Cyprus is to walk through it – literally. There are hiking trails of varying levels of difficulty throughout the country, with the most extensive network found in the delightful Troodos Mountains. Some of these are within walking distance of the major monasteries. All told more than 48 well signposted paths or trails cover a total distance of 200 kilometres in various parts of the island. Hiking is an invigorating addition to the traditional tour of Cyprus.

The Troodos Mountains area boasts four distinctive signposted nature trails. The circular, seven-kilometre long Artemis Trail is at the 1850-metre level and encompasses endemic flora such as Cyprus crocus and orchids under the black pines, as well as rich avian life that includes blue rock thrush and imperial eagles. The Atalanti Trail, named after a forest nymph, is nine kilometers long. At four kilometres, the Kalidonia Trail (also known as the Trail of Nightingales) crisscrosses the Kryo Potamo stream as it flows from the Troodos to Platres. The final portion of the trail begins under a wooden archway and leads to the Caledonean Falls. The three-kilometre Persephone Trail affords up-close looks at beautiful lichens and ferns.

The Paphos District offers a wealth of nature trails, too, particularly in the Paphos Forest with its pristine stands of pine and golden oak trees. Notable are the trails east and northeast of Panagia, the area around Agia and Stavros tis Psokas, where you might spot the reclusive moufflon, and the starkly beautiful Xeros River Valley. The spectacular Cedar Valley is home to some 5,000 Cyprus cedar trees and many Troodos pines.

Basing yourself in Paphos, explore the Akamas Peninsula, a rugged thumb-shaped strip of land crisscrossed by rocky hiking trails. From the Aphrodite Trail hikers have spectacular views of rock formations, limestone outcroppings, cliffs and boulders sculpted into odd shapes suspended in the sea. Both the Aphrodite Trail and Adonis Trail branch out from the Baths of Aphrodite, a natural grotto. On other, western side of the peninsula is Avakas Gorge, popular as a day trip excursion from Paphos by jeep. Several outfitters organize 4X4 jeep trips all year long, the majority leaving from the Paphos District. Most of the excursions include a stop at Lara Beach, a protected nesting ground for endangered sea turtles. All of the settings are pristine, so be sure to bring your camera – the experience of the moment is one thing but being able to re-live that pleasure something else beside.

A recent addition to the hiking options within Cyprus, since entry to the E.U is the Cyprus section of the European Long Distance Path, the ‘E4’ is 539 km long connecting Larnaca & Paphos Airports via the Troodos mountain range, Akamas Peninsula and rural landscape. For more details visit their website below;

http://www.era-ewv-ferp.com/

There is a 20:20 knockout competition, and an early season six a side competition. Touring teams come from England in early and late summer to extend their own season and have a holiday in the sun!

Happy Valley is the main cricket venue in Cyprus, consisting of two pitches both concrete with artificial turf – with full sized outfields with sightscreens. This is WSBA’s ‘home’ ground and the venue for all touring team games. It is easily reached by following Limassol-Paphos motorway to the Episkopi Garrison.

Potamia is the only pitch near Nicosia. Two football pitches side by side make up a full sized outfield with a plastic flicx pitch placed between the two. This is used mostly for matches involving Nicosia teams.

Aynic is the home ground for the military team ESBA on a high and breezy location right next to the border between Southern and Northern Cyprus, overlooking the town of Famagusta in the north. Play is on a concrete pitch with an artificial grass surface with a full size outfield.

Elias Beach is the Country Club associated with Elias Beach hotel on the Limassol sea front. A charming location set up in the hills, it is however a little small for cricket and is only used occasionally and has a flicx pitch laid over grass.

Oroklini is the only cricket venue in Larnaca. Situated just outside Larnaca, off the Dekelia road, it is a complex of four football pitches.

To learn more about current events and latest news on this most English of sporting activities visit website www.cypruscricket.com.